Breaking Dawn
by AnaCullen
Summary: How I think the next book after Eclipse should be written. When unfortunate situations occur, what will become of Bella and Edward? Bella, Edward, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, Esme, Carlisle, Charlie, Jacob, Tanya, Irina, Kate, Eleazar, Carmen & Leo.
1. Party

**Chapter 1 – Party**

We stopped on the cozy, village-like porch of my house. Compared to Edward's, you could call what I live in a shack. I could feel the tension stiffen between us as Edward stared deeply into my eyes, making my heart melt like ice cream in someone's mouth. I'd never get used to his pure, gold eyes and his perfectly-chiseled face; and that's just the way my personal miracle liked it.

"You don't have to do this, you know. I promised you anything you wanted, no strings attached. If you want to be eternally damned right now, so be it. You don't have to marry me if it will make you unhappy," Edward softly whispered.

His beautiful voice sounded too sincere, and as my mother once stated, he looked like he'd jump in front of a bullet for me, just to make sure I was safe. As I stared into his eyes, I could see excitement, love, but also a hint of sadness and regret.

"I want to do this. There's nothing more that I want than to spend the rest of eternity with you, and the only proper way I can do that is by going through with this," I replied, gently.

I was still a bit scared, of course, but nothing could stop me from becoming a _vampire _now. I flinched at the word, even though I've used it many times before. I still couldn't fully picture myself as a blood-drinking_ monster_, but that fast-approaching self-image of me was getting clearer in my mind every day.

Edward sighed, and his eyes softened. I could tell he would still go completely out of his way for me to forget about making any of the Cullens transform me into one of them, but I knew I was finally convincing him that me becoming a 'blood-sucker,' as Jacob called them, wouldn't be so bad.

Jacob. Excruciating pain hit me whenever I thought about him. Oh, how I missed him! I'd go to such lengths just to see his goofy, comical smile that I loved so much just once more. Regrettably, I told myself that wasn't possible without hurting him so much more than he'd ever deserve, no matter what he's ever done to me. He was right about how we'd be together if Edward didn't exist, but I'd never want anyone in this world half as much as I want Edward. _My _Edward.

There was so much more to Edward that met the eye, like his too-attractive personality. He was the most caring, generous, unselfish and kind person I've ever met, and I loved him with all my heart and more. I couldn't bear to lose him again. Ghastly memories of last fall still filled my head and unwillingly, I questioned the fact that Edward had really come back.

It was at that moment I felt something icy smooth against my hand. As I looked down to see what it was, one of Edward's hands wrapped around my fingers and the other one lightly cupped my chin and raised it.

"I love you, Bella Swan," he leaned in and gently kissed me. All my worries seemed like mere situations, and my nervousness was gone. I tried to make his sweet-tasting kiss last; but that never seemed to work.

As he pulled away, I laid my head against his stone-like chest and inhaled. It smelled better than any cologne I'd ever smelt, and any _normal _guys like Mike Newton would love to smell like that. Not that I'd had much experience with normal guys. Edward chuckled and led me inside.

He was still holding me by the time we walked through the front door. I could hear the TV as we strolled into the living room, where Charlie was sitting with his feet up in his usual chair. There must have been a good game tonight because Charlie didn't even look up as we swiftly entered. When the commercial started and Edward and I sat in the sofa across from him, he looked up at us with an uninterested smirk, clearly intended for my boyfriend.

"There's a seat over there, Edward," his voice was rough, as he pointed to the chair across the room, undoubtedly referring to the fact that I was sitting on his lap, but Edward didn't budge. I felt relieved; I hadn't wanted to leave his cold, comfortable lap.

"Actually, Charlie, we came by because Bella has something to tell you that I think you'd be quite interested in hearing," he smiled that crooked smile I loved as he set me up to be shot by Charlie.

"Bella?" Charlie turned to me. He looked worried, like a puppy when its owners gave it away. Almost sad, like he knew what I was going to say, and for some reason, I thought I felt his pain. I grimaced.

"Um, well. . . I don't think there's a right way of saying this, dad, so I'll just show you." I held up my hand, where my ring was located, and looked away, not wanting to see his expression.

xxx

As I decided what to pack for Edward's and my one week road trip to Vegas, Edward appeared behind me; his smooth, tempting lips brushing my neck.

"That skirt would look lovely on you, Bella. But I'm sure you can do _so _much better. How about those ripped jeans?" he winked, and I couldn't help but giggle.

"Do you really think it's a good idea to have the ceremony alone and not let Alice or anybody else tag along? Because I think she's really bummed about only getting to host the after-party." I assumed, as I thoughtfully stared into space.

"Bella, don't worry about Alice. She'll be fine; she really will. It's bad enough we have to attend her party, now you want your _whole _wedding to be ruined?" he chuckled and sat on the edge of my bed, pulling me on top of him.

"I don't know, but it just seems like she has every right to watch that priest in the little drive-through window announce us officially husband and wife. But once you put it like that, her life doesn't seem so awful after all," I smiled. Leave it to Edward to convince me that Alice wasn't worth it.

"Good. Now, what do you say we head down to my place for a while? They all already know, thanks to Alice, but I haven't talked to them after they found out. Since Charlie took it rather well last night, I expect you're not grounded?" as he gave me the smile that could brighten up my darkest day, I couldn't reject the invitation. He knew Charlie didn't ground me, of course, although my dad was acting a bit quiet during breakfast; when Edward was sitting beside me at the table, might I mention?

I rolled my eyes, "Let's go, before I change my mind."

As we headed downstairs, something I wasn't used to doing with him since we'd taken my window most times, I noticed the note on the kitchen counter. I figured Charlie would be out fishing today, so I wasn't that worried about what the contents of it might say. I opened the beige paper and scanned over the printing.

_Bella, _

_Gone to Billy's; will be back for dinner._

_-Charlie_

I stood there for a moment, staring at the note, unwillingly frozen.

"Charlie thinks it would be better if he stay away from me for a while. He doesn't want his emotions to erupt." Edward proclaimed, with a sigh.

My dad must have been better at hiding his feelings than I thought. I figured his speechless facade had meant he was actually considering the idea of me marrying Edward. Unfortunately, I was misguided. Usually, Billy just came over here since the Blacks' house was too small to be relatively comfy, so I figured something was up.

After a while, I convinced myself it would be easier if I gave up trying to please Charlie with Edward. My boyfriend was perfect, amazing at every single thing in the world. I suppose it was right to let go of the fact that my dad was one of the only people who didn't see that. One of the only people whose opinion about Edward mattered to me.

"Let's have some fun, shall we?" I could tell Edward was trying to cheer me up, and once he smiled, it worked. I jumped on his back and before I knew it, we were out of the front door, with sunlight in my eyes. I hadn't noticed the weather today, but I was hoping he'd take me to the meadow afterwards.

Many things had changed the past year, but not this. As I tightly shut my eyes, I could feel the warm sun I missed so much on my face, and the untamed wind messing up my tangled, brown locks. I pulled my head tighter into Edward's neck and thought of the day he proposed to me.

We had stood in his room; he had called me by my full name and asked me to marry him. I replied in one simple word: Yes.

Then I thought of the day Alice showed me my dress for which she thought would be my wedding. I was excited and happy I was letting her plan it, but once me and Edward talked it over, we both knew we weren't too pleased. The two of us broke it down for her gently, but she hadn't taken it well. We were left without a choice but to let her plan the after-party, and she felt a bit better.

"Bella? Are you asleep?" Edward whispered.

I raised my head and looked around. We were in front of the Cullens' beautiful white mansion, visibly superior to my so-called house.

"No, I'm fine. Just thinking," I replied, dazed.

"You're not going to tell me about what, are you?" Edward's gaze fell.

"Our wedding, actually," I smiled, which looked like brought his mood up.

"Shall we get this over with?" He chuckled and lowered me from his back. I merely nodded as his hand slid into mine and I took it, never willing to part.

As Edward opened the door and we stepped in, we both opened our mouths in shock.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" six of the seven Cullens screamed.

A big red banner with pink hearts reading 'EDWARD BELLA' hung on the wall in front of us, there were streamers everywhere and Esme was holding a delicious looking cake.

"Aw, Alice! You didn't!" I cried, angry.

"It wasn't Alice, it was all of us. We know how much you hate parties, Bella, but since we're not allowed going to your wedding; we thought we'd plan a little pre-party before your after-party!" Emmett grinned, clearly enjoying himself.

As Alice ran up to hug me with everyone else behind her, I noticed her flash a look at Edward. Parties usually made me uncomfortable, but this made me feel even sicker to my stomach. I could tell something was wrong.

"Cake, Bella?" Carlisle called out with a warm smile.

"This is all for me? Thank you all so much, but it's really not that big of a deal." I tried to catch Edward's gaze, but he just smiled and kept his eyes forward.

"Nonsense, Bella. You deserve this more than anything! It's not every day you get married! Come into the dining room, we've got presents!" Esme put her arm around me and separated me from Edward as we strode out of the room.

As I glanced back, I could see Edward and Alice staring at each other, with horrified looks on their faces.

"How could this be, Alice?! I thought you said the chances of Bella reconsidering her sick decision of becoming a vampire were greater than that happening?!" I thought I caught Edward silently scream at Alice in panic.

I wanted so desperately to reach out to him and to ask him what was wrong, but Esme dragged me away with a cheerful and probably fake grin on her face.

The afternoon seemed to drag on and on. I couldn't believe opening a couple presents could take this long! Alice and Jasper had gotten us a digital camera to take pictures in Vegas since they wouldn't see (everyone but Alice, at least, wouldn't), Rosalie and Jasper had gotten us both a day at the spa before the wedding so we could, as Rosalie stated, 'look our best in the car when we get married,' and the present I was most against: a black convertible Lamborghini from Esme and Carlisle, so 'your car can measure up to your looks, Bella.' Which I knew was a total lie.

Thankfully, when we finished the whole gathering, it was still sunny, and Edward suggested we spend the day laying on our meadow. I automatically agreed.

As he ran, something didn't feel right. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but there was something bothering Edward. It was the way he cut through the trees; like he was rushing and almost ignoring the fact that if he lost focus we'd both be dead. Well one of us, at least.

I could do nothing about this but pull my weak arms around him as tight as I could, and wait for the unusual ride to be over.

The moment I felt Edward slowed down; I popped my head up and studied our beautiful surroundings. We were in the forest; very green as usual, only a normal person's walking distance to our meadow now.

I couldn't contain my curiosity, but I felt it was best to start small.

"That party was kind of fun. Even by my standards," I was hoping he wouldn't catch my lie. He didn't seem to notice.

"I'm glad you liked it. You're not still mad about the gifts, are you?" a distant frown was painted across his perfect face, like he didn't really care for the answer.

"The camera and spa tickets are okay I guess, since we _are _getting married, but I still think the car is too much. _Way _too much," I whispered the last part, not wanting to bring his mood down even more. Not that I'd really mind what we were driving as long as I had Edward beside me the whole time.

"Listen, Bella, do you mind if we delay our wedding for a bit, just until Alice and I get things cleared up?" his expression was serious, and he looked down at the crumpled grass.

I sighed, "What did Alice tell you today?" I eyed him, suspiciously.

"I was kind of hoping you hadn't noticed, but I'm not going to lie to you. Forks won't be safe the following couple of weeks."

xxx

**If you liked it, review, because that's the only way I'll know if I should write more. Thanks!**

**-AnaCullen♥.**


	2. Bad Luck

**Chapter 2 – Bad Luck **

I could only imagine the possibilities behind that one simple sentence. I was utterly speechless; wondering who on earth might want me dead this time. I wracked my brain for a minute, trying to remember if James had another girlfriend that I was unaware of. The curiosity and impatience inside of me was going to explode, but at the same time I didn't want to know.

"Who is it?" I enunciated each word as I felt my face growing paler.

"The Volturi, Bella. The Volturi are coming to Forks, but we're not absolutely sure you're what they're looking for. Let's hope it's another soon-to-be-vampire," he joked, though the timing was hardly appropriate.

"But you said I'd be at least _thirty_," I frowned at the word, "until they remembered me again."

"That's what we were counting on, but of course, your bad luck had to join the party. The Volturi remembered you only a year after they saw you. You must really be special," he tilted his head, so his diamond-like face was turned to me.

"If I had a dime every time I heard that."

He sighed, "Listen, Bella, I think it's best for all of us to go to Denali and live with Tanya's family while the issue gets resolved in Forks, then we can get married without worrying about the Volturi trying to find you and slaughtering everyone in the way," the last part was probably supposed to be a joke, but I didn't laugh.

"Tanya? The one that had a thing for you?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Don't worry, though. She's like the water when I'm the alcoholic and you're the aged wine. Not appealing _at all_," he winked.

"Let me get this straight. We're going to live with a vampire that had a crush on you, and you are unavailable to her because you're with me, me being the _person going to live under the same roof as her_. Hmm, good idea; not dangerous _at all_," my voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Once you put it like that…" he looked puzzled.

"Oh, I'm sure it'll be fine. My blood is only the best-scented and the only thing stopping her from getting you is me, why on _earth _would I possibly fear for my life while we're with them?"

"Bella, I told you before, even if you didn't exist and I would have never found my soul mate, that is if you consider what I have a soul, I would still be unavailable to her. And I'm sure she understands that now," he smiled, as if that was going to change anything, "besides; I think they'd really like you! Maybe not Tanya, but the rest of them for sure."

"Don't you know any other covens of secretive vampires roaming the earth we could visit instead?" I tried to sound optimistic.

"It'll be fine, I promise. Now, we better get you home, Charlie will be back in an hour."

As I jumped on Edward's back and tightly shut my eyes, I imagined what fun adventures would be in store for me this year. A royal, three-thousand-year-old group of vampires in search of me as their servant, maybe a revenge-seeking broken-hearted vampire, and what else could possibly happen, another vampire falling in love with me? As if Jacob, my ex best friend and werewolf, wasn't enough.

Before I knew it, I was in my bed, cradled in Edward's arms.

"Sleepy today?" he gently kissed my forehead.

"What time is it?" I managed to groan.

"Five-thirty."

"Charlie! He'll be home in half an hour and he won't have any dinner unless I make some!" I spoke as loud as I could, but my voice was still muffled.

"No, stay down, it's been taken care of. I've watched you make dinner so many times that I've learnt how to make it myself," he grinned, clearly proud.

I was very surprised, and he took that into consideration, not knowing if my shock was a compliment or not.

"What did you make?" I was scared of the answer.

"Pasta. It was simple, and Charlie loves it," he chuckled, "although I still say it's outright repulsive."

I didn't know what to say. Edward, cooking?! I thought about going downstairs any trying the pasta, just to make sure it wasn't poisonous.

"I have a present for you, by the way. It's for the wedding, but I thought I'd give it to you a bit early," Edward smiled.

"Usually I'd be opposed to this, but since we're getting married, I guess you can buy me a present. Only one though," I didn't feel happy, but if it made him happy, I'd take it.

"Good. So you'll wear it? Promise?" he looked flattered.

"Yes. Now give it to be before I reconsider!"

"Alright, eager beaver, close your eyes," and he smiled his downright gorgeous grin.

I closed my eyes, and I could feel his chilly fingertips on my wrist, the wrist with the hand-me-down heart he'd given me for my graduation.

"Open them."

As I opened my eyes, there was something new on my bracelet. There was now another heart keeping my first one company, only this one was more fragile-looking. I couldn't take my eyes off both of them; they were so beautiful! The first one alone was definitely stunning, but together it seemed like they brightened up my whole room.

"Edward, they're amazing," I had nothing more to say.

"I'm glad you like them. Look real close into the centers of both the hearts," it seemed like he had a few more tricks up his sleeve.

As I squinted at the tiny lettering, I slowly began to understand. He had carved _Edward _into the original and _Bella _into the center of the new addition. They were simply gorgeous.

I smiled and pressed my lips to his. I wanted to keep this moment going, so I tore myself off him mid-kiss and put my head on his chest. I noticed it was the first time I'd ever ended any of our kisses and was hoping he'd now know how dissatisfied I felt every time he did that.

We lay there for another twenty minutes before I heard the front door open, and shot my head up.

"Go! Get out! Come back after dinner though," I smiled, hopeful.

"Why? He knows we're getting married, Bella, he should adapt to the idea that we're going to be spending a lot of time together," his smile disappeared.

"I want to take this one step at a time. We only told him yesterday, he should get some time to think before we tell him _I'm pregnant_." I rolled my eyes.

"_Pregnant_? I was just hoping to stay for dinner," he joked, "but that's fine. I understand what you mean, so I'll see you later. Oh, one last thing. Tell Charlie we'll be spending an extra week in Vegas, but we'll really be in Denali both weeks."

He touched the tip of my nose with his fingertip and before I knew it, he was off.

As I got downstairs and took my seat at the table, Charlie had strange look on his face.

"New recipe, Bella?" he eyed the pasta in front of him.

"Actually, yeah. Like it?" I kicked myself for not testing it before Charlie got home.

"It's amazing. What did you put in?" he grinned.

I could feel an expression of shock spread across my face. I tried to remain calm, but my features gave me away.

"Honey? Are you okay?" he looked concerned.

"Yeah, sorry. Just a little off-beat from yesterday. Oh, speaking of yesterday, are you okay with it, honestly?" I tried to say it casually, like I asked him if it was okay to get married every night.

He dropped his fork and gave me his undivided attention, "Honestly, Bella? I think you're too good for him. What he's put you through, what I've seen that boy do to you, for those reasons I'll never completely approve of him. But if this is what you want, and I can see it is, I'm happy for you."

He tried to smile at the end, and I did too.

"Thanks, dad. He's really not as bad as he seems. You know, if you had some bonding time, I'm sure you'd trust him more," Edward would probably be against it, but I could try.

He frowned, "Does he fish?"

"Uh, yeah, dad. He _loves _fishing. You should take him out this weekend while Alice and I, um, look for wedding dresses. Oh, I forgot to mention. Edward and I thought it would be best to spend another week in Vegas since we're not going on a proper honeymoon." three lies jumbled together. But the no proper honeymoon part was true, at least.

Charlie's face went blank, "If that's what you want."

That was all he managed to choke out before getting up, thanking me for dinner and putting his plate in the sink. That's when I noticed I hadn't started eating and picked up my fork.

xxx

"That pasta was delicious, by the way. How did you make it?" I wondered aloud.

We were sitting in the field at two AM with thunder ripping across the sky. I was sitting on Edward's lap, watching the rest of his family play baseball.

"You really liked it? Maybe one day I'll teach you," he grinned.

"Since when do you cook, anyway?" I was sure he wanted something.

"Actually, I wanted to soften you up. To get you to agree to go to Denali, and since you told Charlie, I guess it worked," he winked.

"What was Charlie thinking? Was he mad at me?"

"No, not mad. Although he _is _hoping you'll call the wedding off. He wants you to give it more time and not end up like him and Renée," he frowned at the thought, clearly not wanting to call the wedding off.

Suddenly, everything was a blur. A ball came flying at an unbelievable speed, aimed directly at my face, so I closed my eyes and waited for the pain. Instead, I felt wind through my hair and when I didn't immediately open my eyes, I heard a voice.

"Bella? Are you okay?" the sweet voice sounded urgent.

I tried, unsuccessfully, to open my eyes.

"Bella! We're so sorry! The game got out of control!" I recognized Alice's voice.

I felt someone's arms tighten around me, and I opened my eyes. The whole Cullen family was standing around me.

"Oh, thank goodness! We thought the ball was going to hit you for sure, but then Edward dodged it with you in his lap," Esme cheerily replied.

I looked around us, and we were across the field from where we had originally been sitting. I couldn't believe how fast Edward had reacted, since when I saw the ball it must have been ten meters from my face. I guess I should have expected it. _He's a vampire, after all, _I told myself.

"Are you sure you don't want me to check out your head, Bella?" Carlisle looked worried.

"We wouldn't want to lose silly Bella after all the times we've rescued her _now_," Emmett joked, and Edward shot him a look.

"No, I think I'm fine. It's really no big deal, these things happen all the time," I wasn't kidding.

Edward chuckled, "She's right. Well, I'd better get you home."

As I started to stand up, Edward's arms caught me and put me on his back.

Before we were at top speed, I heard Emmett shout, "We won, by the way. If it wasn't for you, Carlisle would have gotten the ball and made us lose! Thanks, Bella!"

I rolled my eyes and we were gone, silently dodging the dark figures in the forest.

xxx

When I woke up, Edward wasn't beside me. This frightened me at once, but just as I was getting up, he appeared through my window. His god-like face shed a horror-struck expression.

Before I got the chance to ask, he poured out a sentence so fast I almost couldn't distinguish each word. The sentence that made my heart stop.

"The Volturi will be here next week."

**Sorry for the cliffy, but hopefully it was still good. Tell me what you think otherwise this will be the last chapter. Thankies! **

**-AnaCullen**♥.


	3. Goodbyes

**Chapter 3 – Goodbyes**

I couldn't speak. A million thoughts raced through my head at once, each one leaving my stomach queasier and queasier, the same feeling I get when I eat pizza and go on a roller-coaster right after.

"You and I are leaving to Denali in two days. The others will stay here and try to resolve any conflicts the Volturi may have once they get here. Once they leave, we'll return and go to Vegas," Edward stopped breathing and pushed the words out.

I wanted to faint. What would happen to the others? The Volturi could take them and win, they were more experienced and there were more of them. Would they find Charlie? Why did they pick precisely this timing, to throw off my marriage with Edward? That had to be it.

"They don't want us to get married," I managed to blurt out.

Edward looked annoyed, "Bella. This has nothing to do with our marriage."

"Then why else would they come to Forks, where both of us happen to live, a couple weeks before out marriage? Actually, why _did_ you say they were coming?" I had this figured out. I knew I did.

Edward slowly sat on my bed and sighed. I sat on his lap and waited for an explanation. When he saw I wasn't going to let anything go, he began.

"Alice still sees us getting married. We don't know the date yet, but we _will. _If our marriage was what the Volturi were trying to prevent, trust me, Alice _wouldn't_ see us getting married," he clenched his fists and looked into my eyes.

I guess I was wrong, and couldn't argue, "When will we be back? What about Charlie?"

"We'll be back as soon as the Volturi are gone. Of course, Charlie will be under full protection. Rosalie and Emmett will be watching him," he gave my hand a squeeze and stood up, putting me back on the bed.

I thought about this. Would everything really work out? I wasn't entirely pleased with going to live with Tanya's clan, but I guess if Edward was with me nothing _too horrible _would happen. Although I knew I had to do something before the trip.

"Edward, there's something I need to do before we go," I mumbled.

One of his perfect brows came up, "What is it, love?"

"I need to see Jacob."

xxx

I kissed Edward and got out of the Volvo. I heard him mutter something about being safe and suddenly, Jacob's Volkswagen came into view. The little car looked exactly the same as I remembered it, and the person with the goofy grin inside was even more delightful to look at.

"Jacob!" I squealed as I got into the passenger seat.

His grin stretched from one ear to the other, "How've you been, Bells? Staying out of trouble?" he winked.

"Staying out of trouble is not possible if your boyfriend is a vampire. I'm glad to see your body is healed, by the way," I smiled.

"Let me guess. More vampires after you?" he smirked.

I blushed and kept silent.

"How did I know, right? But let's take our mind off things and go to the beach, shall we?" he rolled his eyes but looked hopeful.

Our conversation on the way to the beach was lively and reminded me of my darkest times, when Edward left. I felt surprised, almost guilty, that I missed something from that period of time.

When we got to the beach, we strolled down along the water, just deep enough to get the bottom of our feet wet. He took my hand, and I didn't object.

"Is the marriage still on, Bella?" his gaze fell to the wet sand underneath us.

"Since you bring it up, I don't know. All I'm sure of is we're leaving to Alaska in two days, for god knows how long, and so the wedding will probably be put off for a while," I wasn't sure how much I could say without him freaking out, so I avoided the reasoning for our little trip.

"Alaska? Why on earth would you go there?" he frowned, "You don't even like snow."

I blushed; my attempt at avoiding a subject was clearly not working.

"Well, you asked for it. The Volturi, a family of three-thousand-year-old royal vampires are coming to Forks, most likely to transform me into a vampire themselves, since apparently it's taking Edward too long."

Jacob chuckled, "Silly Bella. Now, tell me what's really happening."

I gave him a blank look, and he freaked; letting go of my hand.

"YOU'RE SERIOUS?! CAN'T THE BELOVED _CULLENS_," he frowned, "FIGHT THEM OFF?"

I tried to reply in a calm voice, "See, there's a problem. The Volturi have about two-thousand-nine-hundred more years of experience than Edward and the rest of them, and they overpopulate them."

"It's too bad that your _darling Edward _can't rescue you this time, isn't it? I'll tell the guys today, and by the end of the week, we'll be ready to fight," I caught a glimpse of excitement in his eyes, and that made me afraid.

"Jacob, _must _you always interfere? It's no big deal. We're not even completely sure I'm what they're looking for, and since I'm not going to be here, the Cullens will calmly talk it out with them," I tried to make myself feel as confident as I sounded.

I started walking again, and he followed. I was sure it was at least two in the afternoon; the day seemed to go by so quickly.

"Don't get mad at me for trying to protect you," he pleaded.

I spun around so I was facing him.

"I'm _fine_, and will stay that way. The only reason I wanted to meet up today was to tell you I was leaving and don't know when I'll see you again. Now that that's done, I can see I'm free to go," I knew I was being rude, but I couldn't help it. Just because I was human didn't mean the _whole monster_ _world _had to look after me.

Jacob sighed, "Bella, I'm sorry. It's just; do you know what I'd do if you got killed or transformed into one of them? Either way, it's just as bad. _I _don't know what I'd do. So as long as you're still _my _Bella, I _will _protect you."

I knew that was as close to a heartwarming speech he'd ever give, and it turned all my anger into sadness. My eyes welled up and I wrapped my arms around my giant of a best friend. He seemed to accept that and hugged me in return.

"I'm still getting married, Jake. Maybe not now, but it _will _be soon. Please, don't make it harder for me," I managed to blurt out through my tears.

I could feel him give a faint nod. I knew this wasn't any easier on him than it was on me, seeing the girl he was in love with run off with his sworn enemy. Considering everything; he was taking it pretty well, I had to give him that.

"Hey, you're still wearing my present!" Jacob exclaimed as he pulled away and took my wrist. His whole face seemed to brighten up, and I'd given anything for it to stay that way.

"Of course, Jake. What'd you expect? It's part of who I am. _You're _part of who I am," I looked up into his big brown eyes, and saw a twinge of hope. I quickly averted my eyes, and when I looked up again, it was gone.

He picked up my other wrist, the one with Edward's hand-me-down consisting of two hearts. A frown took over his sunny expression, and I suddenly felt guilty.

"How much did this cost? It's probably worth more than my house. He bought you off, didn't he?" he glared at me, probably hoping I'd confess that I only loved Edward because he was rich, which wasn't the case.

I rolled my eyes, "No, Jake. It's a hand-me-down as well, it didn't cost him anything. That's how I want it to be."

After considering this for a moment, Jacob's expression took a turn for the better.

"You hungry? I found this great little place in La Push. You'll love it," he grinned.

xxx

I scanned the menu, liking everything I read. This place was affordable and had all my favorite dishes. I decided to go with some homemade chicken noodle soup.

"I'll have some medium rare steak with a side of mashed potatoes and beans, corn on the cob with a side of beef soup and the biggest burger you have. Oh, and some orange juice. I need my nutrients," Jacob winked at me, with the waiter busily scribbling away on his notepad.

After the waiter was done with Jake's order, which seemed like forever, he turned to me.

"Anything for the lady?" he said in a polite voice. I couldn't help but compare him to Edward, and the results made me giggle. He was more in the Eric league, one of my friends from high school.

"I'll have some chicken noodle soup, thanks," this seemed to surprise him, maybe because since Jacob ordered the whole right side of the menu, theoretically speaking, I should have ordered more.

I wasn't in the mood to make Jacob mad again, so I kept the conversation light. While we waited for the waiter to bright Jake his feast and me my soup, we chatted about school for him and my job at Mike Newton's store, which I was planning to quit this month.

Just as Jacob was finishing up his corn and beef soup, his face scrunched up. It looked like he smelt something horrible, but then his face turned to understanding.

"Not here! Not now! Get him _out_!" he stood up and scanned the cozy restaurant.

Before I could ask what was happening, and ice-cold hand appeared in mine.

"Bella, honey, we have to go. _Now_," his eyes told me something was terribly wrong, but I knew this wasn't the time to ask.

As I stood up, I heard Jacob release a deep growl. We were getting looks from the others having lunch, but most people were just admiring Edward, as usual.

"Get out _now_, this is _our_ property!" his voice suddenly seemed terrifying as he stared at Edward.

Edward's worried but confident expression didn't budge. As he strolled towards the door and I stumbled along, I managed to call, "Thanks for today! I'll talk to you as soon as I can! Bye Jacob!"

The look on his face was one I'll always remember. Like a little kid watching someone else eat a big chocolate chip cookie in front of them. Jealousy, sadness, and a lot of other expressions I didn't understand.

Once we were out, Edward pulled into the passenger seat of his parked car and we sped away.

"What the hell is going on?! How did you know where I was?" I cried, relieved I could now talk freely.

He kept his eyes on the road, but answered my question, "I looked everywhere, and when I asked if there were any 'hotspots' in La Push, the only answer people seemed to have was this restaurant. Oh yes, the news. The Volturi changed their plans. They're on their way now and will be here tomorrow. They believe the sooner they get this over with, the better. That leaves us with no choice but to start our trip to _Vegas_," he winked,"today."

This all seemed like it was happening too fast. It reminded me of that evening we first met James, Laurent and Victoria. We only had the evening to flee as James started tracking me, as irresistible as I happened to seem.

"You have thirty minutes to get ready. Pack a lot of warm clothes and layers, the weather in Denali is unpredictable. Bring a raincoat, especially," I knew he liked this just about as much as I did, so I decided not to give him a hard him while he talked.

When we pulled into my driveway, I was thinking about how to break it to Charlie. I decided to go with the soft approach.

"I'll be waiting in the car," Edward mumbled.

I unlocked the front door and put on a fake smile.

"Charlie? You home?" I shouted, hoping I could just leave a note.

"In here, Bella," he replied. Damn.

I walked into the living room and cut to the chase, "Dad, Edward and I are leaving today. We thought the earlier, the better. But don't worry, we'll be back soon. I'll get you a souvenir, 'kay?"

Charlie's face turned white as he turned speechless and stood up.

"I've always wanted what's best for you, Bella, and if you have your mind set on this, I'm not going to stop you. I guess you'll just have to learn the hard way," I could tell he was going to cry, so I thanked him and ran upstairs to pack.

Thankfully, I had a lot of warm clothes that I stuffed in my duffel bag. I grabbed my toiletries and the money in my sock and I was ready to go. On the way out, I ran up to Charlie, not knowing when I'd see him again, and threw my arms around him.

"I love you, dad, I'll be back soon," I whispered.

"I love you too, kiddo," I could tell he was starting to well up.

I ran out the door with my bag and got into the passenger side seat. We drove to the airport in silence, me just following Edward around as he bought our tickets and dropped off our lacking luggage.

The last thing I knew, we were on the plane, and the stewardess was demonstrating how to put on your lifejacket. I knew if I was with Edward, dying was my last concern, so I put my arm through his and slowly drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

**That's the third chapter, ladies and gentlemen. Hopefully you liked it. I have a whole plot planned out, so you'll have to wait to see what happens next... But only if you review so I know people are actually reading this. No reviews, no rest of story! Thanks a ton! **

**-AnaCullen**♥.


	4. Meeting the Family

**Chapter 4 – Meeting the Family **

"Wake up, love. We're here," Edward's sweet voice whispered in my ear.

I squeezed my eyes shut and stretched my arms as far as they would go. I then searched around and when my arms found his hard chest, I opened my eyes.

Our surroundings were not what I had expected. I gasped when I took it all in.

We were in a leather-padded taxi cab, with a native man at the wheel, now turned around; curiously watching my sudden surprise. He smiled when he caught my eyes, and I blushed in return.

I turned around and glanced outside. Behind the window, everything was covered in snow. Ugh. Even with all the wet muck, I could tell it was beautiful. There were sky-high mountains towering over the row of houses behind us, each one a unique figure. As I slowly faced the front again, I noticed we were parked in front of a huge three-story building. It contained many windows, each of them with large curtains draped around them. The door was just as gigantic, probably because Tanya's clan was as tall as the Cullens.

"Five sixty, please," the driver interrupted my thoughts.

"_Five hundred and sixty dollars_?!" I whisper-screamed at Edward, who handed the man a wad of cash and smiled.

"It's no big deal, Bella," he said as he turned to the man, "Thank you, we'll be going now."

He stepped out of the back seat and appeared at my door faster than twice the speed I could run at, fortunately without any unwanted attention from the driver. My door swung open and Edward held his hand out, always the gentleman.

Unwillingly, I took his hand and placed one foot down onto the snow-covered pavement, squishing the mess underneath it. My other foot followed, and I had to admit, the sound my footprints made as I walked to the trunk were quite refreshing.

"It's not usually snowy in August. But in Denali, the weather changes very frequently. It ranges from rainy, sunny, snowy or windy, usually within the same day," Edward knowingly proclaimed.

"Thanks for the geographic lesson, but I don't think I'll be needing it. I barely passed high school, and since I did, that's enough learning for me," I rolled my eyes.

"University or college is still on the agenda. Human experiences, remember?" his eyes got serious.

"You're kidding, right? Didn't we already talk about this? We'll get through the Volturi problem, go to Vegas, get married, and you'll change me into a vampire. I don't think we can fit more school into the agenda, sorry," I smirked.

"We can't send you to school within a year of your transformation, but after that, it can be arranged," Edward winked and his eyes sparked. Too gorgeous.

I rolled my eyes. I didn't feel like arguing now, but I hoped he knew I wouldn't rest my case.

As he got my suitcase out of the trunk and waved goodbye to the driver, he walked over to me and carefully put his hand through mine. We both stood there for a minute, admiring the remarkable house. I guessed Tanya's clan would be a lot like it; stunning.

Suddenly, movement from the front door caught me by surprise. I tilted my head to get a good view of what it was, but a high, piercing sound got my attention.

"Welcome, darling! How've you been?" a striking woman with strawberry-blonde hair glided out from the door with a wide grin on her face.

"Tanya!" Edward smiled politely, "Still beautiful, just as I remember."

Edward's words made me choke a little. I've never heard him acknowledge a female like this before, right to her face, with me beside him. I held my breath, not wanting to give away my sudden discomfort.

Unfortunately, Edward seemed to notice. He stiffened a bit, although managing to keep up his perfect smile, and squeezed my hand.

Tanya's eyed drifted to me, and she seemed to frown. Her features still looked flawless, even with her unpleasant expression.

"Who do we have here? The infamous Bella, I suppose? I've heard so much about you," her tone changed as she talked to me, clearly displeased as she took in my appearance compared to Edward's. You could tell just by looking at our wardrobes that he was more appealing than I.

I was wearing a long sleeved white shirt with a thick red sweater overtop paired with an old worn-out pair of sweat pants, while he turned a simple pair of jeans and a slender grey sweater into a work of art. It was almost embarrassing.

"Bella, this is Tanya. Tanya, Bella," Edward properly introduced us.

"Nice to meet you," I managed to mumble, not meaning a word I just said.

Tanya's scowl seemed to vanish as she turned back to Edward.

"Shall we go inside, then?" if I wasn't mistaken, her voice almost sounded like she was trying to seduce him.

"Sounds like a plan," Edward replied, dragging me in one hand and my suitcase in the other.

The inside of their house was very open, much like the Cullens'. The walls were light purple, adding a homey feeling to the atmosphere. The staircase leading up to the second floor was gigantic, with many artwork pieces hanging on the walls. The one thing that really caught my eye was the garlic chain hanging from one side of the staircase.

Edward seemed to recognize my puzzled expression as I stared at the chain and answered my thoughts.

"Tanya's family is very sneaky. Sometimes people get suspicious with their looks, speed, strength and so on, so they invite them into their home where a chain of garlic hangs. This eliminates the possibility of them being vampires because, as you know, your people believe that myth that says you can use garlic to prevent them," he grinned, admiring their well thought-of idea.

"Sneaky, sure," I said as Tanya studied me.

Just then, a pair holding hands appeared at the top of the stairway, wide smiles plastered on their too-attractive faces. Both of their outfits looked like they had been picked out by designers, and were more appealing than I could describe.

"Greetings," the man proclaimed in a deep voice, "I am Eleazar. This is my love Carmen."

The woman smiled even wider and said a quick hello as the couple filed down the impressive set of stairs.

"Bella Swan. Very pleased to meet you," I meant it more than I had for Tanya.

"It's great to see you again, Eleazar. And you, Carmen. You both look simply lovely," I was more comfortable with him using 'lovely;' it didn't compare to calling another female 'beautiful.'

"Thank you, Edward. Still the gentleman," Carmen's soothing voice giggled, "Kate? Irina? Leo? Come down!"

At once, three other individuals skipped downstairs. The two females were drop-dead gorgeous, of course, but it was the male that really caught my attention. He had light brown hair and golden eyes, with a medium frame and muscles showing through his shirt. He seemed to notice my admiration and chuckled.

"Hi, I'm Leo. Delighted to meet you, Miss Swan," he stuck his hand out and I shook it.

"Thanks, I look forward to getting to know you already," I smiled.

One of the females faked a cough, and my attention turned to them. One of them was wearing a dark green t-shirt and grey pants, while the other was looking comfortable in a red hoodie and jeans.

"I'm Katrina, but everyone calls me Kate," the one in the hoodie tilted her head as she smiled and shook my hand.

"I'm Irina, and that's what everyone calls me," the other girl giggled and gave me a quick hug.

"Thank you all, it was a pleasure to meet you. But I would really appreciate a shower right now," I bit my lip.

"Oh, yes, I'll take her," Edward informed the others with a chuckle, and led me upstairs. We turned a couple times until he opened the door, revealing an L shaped bathroom that was larger than three of my rooms in Charlie's house. He put my bag down and handed me a towel.

"Wow, it's huge. But I guess I should have expected this. All rich and _beautiful_," I was hoping he'd know I was referring to the fact that he called Tanya beautiful right in front of me, "But I guess it must be a vampire thing. Well, I need to clean up. See you later."

I booted him out the door and left him standing with an unimpressed expression.

"Bella, is something bothering you? I can't read your mind, you know," his voice sounded unhappy, but still silky smooth.

"How unfortunate for you," I sighed, "And no, I'm fine, just need to get cleaned up. I'll meet you in whatever part of the house I wander to when I'm finished."

I could imagine his unsatisfied expression as I walked over to the shower, taking out my shampoo and soap. The thought made me feel even worse for my behavior, but I kept telling myself he deserved a little punishment for calling her beautiful. Others girls wouldn't take that kind of behavior from her boyfriend, but I couldn't resist being the inexperienced self that I was.

"I love you," I whispered, giving in to my heart.

xxx

I heard a knock on my door just as I was blow-drying my hair. This surprised me, since I thought Edward knew I'd come out when I was ready. I unlocked the door anyway, surprised at what I saw.

Leo was leaning over to one side of the door, a wide grin painted across his breathtaking face. I hadn't noticed his features before, but now that I looked closely, each part of his face appeared perfect.

His nose was medium-sized, curving upwards at the bottom. His eyes were big and innocent with long eyelashes, and I guessed they were originally blue. His teeth were unbelievably straight and so white I almost had to look away, and paired with the lips of an angel, he looked like such a model I couldn't take my eyes off him. His hair hung sideways just above his right eye, and it looked so smooth I almost reached out and touched it.

Once I finally convinced myself to breath, I put on a confused face referring to the fact that he was standing here, watching me while I was blow-drying my hair.

"Hey, I was just wondering how you were settling in. Nice hair," he picked up a strand and played with it, "Do you need me to show you your room?"

I didn't immediately answer, and once I hesitated, he batted his eyelashes like a girl and winked. I couldn't help but giggle and nod.

"Are you done cleaning up? Because I can wait if you'd like," Leo asked politely.

I turned around and scanned the room; my shampoo, soap, towel and blow-dryer sprawled across various locations.

"Um, just give me a minute," I mumbled as I tried to swiftly pick everything up, but as usual, tripped over my feet.

I closed my eyes and waited for the pain of the floor to hit my knees or arms, but when the pain didn't come, I opened my eyes and saw Leo holding me up. I immediately blushed.

"Sorry. Thanks," I felt my face heat up even more.

I went back to picking up my belongings, and followed Leo through the hallway when I was finished. We passed what seemed like a hundred pieces of artwork until we reached a big white door. Leo opened it and escorted me in.

When I looked around, I gasped. There was an overly-large plasma screen TV across the room from a king-sized bed with dark purple covers. The room itself was painted light purple, like the rest of the house. At the side of the room were two large windows looking out on the front yard and the other row of houses with mountains behind them. There were statues standing all four corners of the room, and of course, a chain of garlic lying on the bedside table.

"Superstitious much?" I joked about the garlic.

Leo chuckled, "But besides that, you like it, right?"

"I do, but I think it's too much. I would have settled for a single bed and a lamp," I sighed, being the simple self that I was.

"Really? Then you can have our dog's room. He's been dying to move out," he winked.

I was caught by surprise by his offer. Was he being serious?

"I'm joking, Bella. Relax. We don't even have a dog, don't worry," he grinned.

That's a relief. The thought of living in a dog's room would remind me every day of Jacob. Just the idea made me wonder what he was doing right now, if he was still getting all the wolves ready for the Volturi's visit. I honestly hoped not. I missed him already, but I knew it wasn't possible to see him now.

I realized I was still holding my bathroom necessities, so I put them down on the bed and sat. To my surprise, Leo sat down beside me. I was pretty sure I was giving off the wrong impression.

"Listen, Leo. You've been nothing but helpful to me today, but I think I have to make myself clear. I'm with Edward, and always will be. I'd love to be friends with you, but nothing more, right?" I really hoped he understood what I was saying.

"Oh, of course!" his expression became serious, "I would never do anything to break you and Edward apart. Although watch out, Tanya's not too pleased about the marriage. And when Tanya doesn't like you and you're living under her roof, you'd better watch out. Anyway, I should be going now. I forgot, you're a human, you need your sleep. See you in the morning."

And with that, Leo danced out of my room.

"Bella?" a voice beside me suddenly said.

I spun around, my heart stopping for a few seconds. It was Edward, and I sighed with relief.

"Sorry. You look very tired, would you like to go to sleep?" a worried expression spread across his marvelous face.

"No, I'm fine. I'm glad you're here," I put my head on his hard chest.

"I see you met Leo. Nice guy, don't you think?" I could tell he was a little jealous. Maybe it was good for him, considering what he said to Tanya.

"Tanya's nice too," I smirked.

"Bella, you should know, I was just being polite when I called her beautiful. You're the only I'll _ever _want. I give you my word," his eyes looked so honest I couldn't help but believe him. He kissed my forehead and I nodded.

"You're cute when you're jealous, you know that?" he chuckled and started humming my lullaby.

**Hope ya liked it. Sorry it's taking me a long time, I don't write too often. If you read it and liked it, please review, it takes 10 seconds of your time. Thanks (:**

**-AnaCullen♥.**


	5. Trouble

**Chapter 5 – Trouble**

I felt colder than usual, like I was lying in a blanket of snow. The snow was hard, and even though it was pressing against me, it wasn't melting.

"Edward?" I mumbled, waiting for his charming voice to assure me he was the one holding me, and not some other vampire.

"Are you fully awake now? Your dream-talking at night got me whenever you said my name, which was maybe every five minutes, and I replied every time," he chuckled, not embarrassed of the fact.

I felt relieved to hear his voice and used all my strength to open my eyes and sit up. I ended up in his lap with his arms around my waist.

"How was _your _sleep?" I joked.

He smiled, "If me sleeping means watching you dream-talk in my arms for the whole night, I'd never want to wake up."

"Must be fun, staring at me for eight hours straight," I rolled my eyes.

He chuckled, "It is. You're fascinating when you sleep. Actually, you're fascinating all the time, but more so when you're unconsciously talking."

"If that was an insult, thanks," I shoved him playfully and got up.

I walked over to the bedside table, where I left my bathroom things. I grabbed them and stumbled out of the room, into the large expensive-looking bathroom.

When I was finally alone, I wondered whether the Volturi were already in Forks. Had they brought all their guards along, or did only a few of them decide to come? I didn't want to ask Edward; I knew it'd put his seemingly good mood down.

I stood in the bathroom for more than was necessary, just thinking about the events yet to come.

xxx

"Hey! How'd you sleep?" an enthusiastic voice behind me as I walked down the hall asked.

I turned around to find Leo, looking better than yesterday. His hair looked like there had been a comb through it, and his navy blue t-shirt looked like it had been ironed recently.

"Good, thanks. Did you do something with your hair?" I wondered aloud.

He looked down and pressed his lips together, "This is one of those moments I'm glad I'm bloodless. I'd be blushing like crazy right about now."

I giggled, "It looks good. What are you up to today?"

"Actually, I was going to go hiking up the mountains. You can join me if you'd like," he offered, seemingly more comfortable now.

Before I could reply and tell him I'm not much of a hiker, a voice behind me made up my mind.

"Sounds great, when are you going? Bella, you have your hiking shoes, right?" I turned just in time to witness Edward accept Leo's invitation.

Leo looked a bit disappointed, maybe because Edward had invited himself into the little outing Leo planned for me and him.

I nodded, and Edward looked pleased.

"In an hour? Would you be ready then, Bella?" Leo looked back at me and studied my expression.

Once again, Edward took it upon himself to answer Leo's question.

"Oh yes, we'll manage. We'll meet you downstairs at nine," his smile almost looked devious.

As Leo strolled away, I turned to Edward.

"What do you think you're doing, I can't hike up a _field _let alone a _mountain_! And I'm pretty sure Leo's invite was just for me," I frowned, although I was glad Edward would be coming. He could catch me the billions of times I'd fall.

Edward's smile vanished, "If you don't want me to come along, tell me. I'll leave you with Leo."

I hesitated for a moment, but knew I definitely _did _want him there.

"No, I want you to come. But you don't have to talk for me; I have my own voice, you know," I rolled my eyes.

Edward grinned, "Good, it's settled. Can you put your shoes on yourself or do you need help?"

I wanted to tell him that I wasn't completely helpless, but knowing me, I'd probably trip over the carpet and need help getting to the emergency room.

I sighed, and Edward followed me into my room.

xxx

"Where exactly are we again?" I asked, a puzzled expression stained across my face for the last thirty minutes we've walked.

Leo chuckled, "Mount McKinley. It's the highest mountain in North America, did you know that?"

"No, I didn't know the name, let alone geographical facts about it," I rolled my eyes. The faster we get this over with, the faster we can go back to Tanya's house, which although inhabited by vampires, was probably safer for me.

I was pretty sure we hadn't even started hiking up the actual mountain, since the ground we were walking on was still flat, like it had been since we began our journey.

I wasn't tired; although I still managed to drag both my fellow hikers back. Leo had tried to keep pace with me, but I could tell he was getting tired of counting to three between each step, so he was up front. Edward, being incredibly patient, was walking beside me, looking amused.

"Are you sure we're not going too fast, Bella?" Edward chuckled under his breath.

"I'm fine," I replied, but my rapid breathing must have given me away because Edward slowed down. I matched my pace to his and felt extremely grateful, since my breath now sounded more even.

I glanced around us, looking far beyond the snow-covered field and onto a dry, grassy one. Just looking at it made me feel like spring in Denali was just around the corner, and the sense of longing to return to Forks swept over me.

And then it hit me, the questions I'd been planning to ask Edward. Was everything resolved in Forks and back to normal, or had the misadventures yet to begin?

Just then, I had an idea.

I saw a good-sized rock lying on the path to the left of mine, so I carefully shuffled towards it. When I was supposed to step over it, instead I curved my right foot inwards and bent my right knee, pretending to trip.

"Ouch! Stupid rock," I mumbled as I used my horrible acting skills to pretend to stumble upon the prop.

Immediately, Edward was sitting at my side, examining my leg, and Leo was standing over me, offering his hand.

I pretended to touch around for rough spots, and when both the guys studied my face and decided I wasn't going to faint, Edward helped me up.

"I think I need a minute. Leo, go ahead, we'll catch up with you. Edward, do you mind helping me out a bit?" I did my best impression of a pout.

Edward nodded and took my hand, trying to steady me. Even without a hurt leg, I felt better with the support.

At first, I thought Leo was going to decline. But after a moment of hesitation, he finally shrugged.

"If you need anything at all, just call my name," he darted away at a faster speed than we had been going.

As soon as he was gone, I looked Edward straight in the eye and blurted it out as fast as I could.

"What's going on in Forks?!" I tried to keep his gaze, but it was no use. He looked away; definitely not a good sign.

Unwillingly, he began to confess what he'd kept from me this whole day.

"Aro, Marcus and Caius have arrived in Forks today morning. They claim I'm the one they want to see, but we can never be too sure. You might be the one they're looking for, and they know I will be wherever you are, therefore if I come to Forks so will you. So, today night I have a flight to catch to Forks, but you coming along is very dangerous. I've decided that since Tanya's family is almost as large as ours, it would be equally safe for you to stay with them for a day or two. I'll be back as soon as possible," I was still dazed from the first sentence.

I couldn't speak. The idea of Edward leaving me, especially in another vampire's house, was unbearable.

"Bella? Say something," he whispered, his eyes soft and golden.

"You… can't… go," I managed to blurt out, feeling my face grow paler.

"It's what's best. It might be a trap, and we'd just be setting ourselves up if you tagged along. They'd have you right where they want you."

I tried to figure it all out in my head. One, a part of the Volturi were in my hometown, along with Charlie and my future family. Two, Edward was leaving me to his possible death. Three, I was being left in a house full of vampires, one of which possibly seeking revenge on me.

Somewhere in the middle of this realization, I started to hyperventilate. The one I was most worried about was the second one. I knew I was being selfish, but I couldn't help it. _Breath, it's just for a day or two. Just imagine he's away hunting_, I told myself, but I knew it still wouldn't calm me down.

"I wouldn't do this if I didn't think it was in your best interest. Trust me on this, please," he begged, and I couldn't possibly argue with that. The smile he gave me afterwards was completely rewarding.

I nodded and sighed. I still couldn't force my tongue to form any words, but I hoped he understood.

Suddenly, a voice came from right behind my neck.

"You okay? I thought a bear ate you guys or something," I jumped and landed on my foot, and when Leo noticed that, he smiled, "If you can jump, you can hike. Come on, we want to get back before dinnertime."

I didn't feel like talking, let alone arguing, so I let Edward guide me up the long, tiring trail of snow leading up to the biggest freaking mountain in North America.

xxx

Thankfully, we only got up one sixth of the way when it was time to go home. I was secretly pleased, but was sure not to show my delight since Leo seemed bummed.

Edward and I were now sitting on my bed, me in his lap. Occasionally, he would play with my hair or kiss my forehead; neither of us having much to say. We both hated being separated, and this wasn't exactly going to be a piece of cake.

I wanted to put my arms over his shoulders and tell him he didn't have to go, but I told myself I should try to be more altruistic. If Edward didn't appear in Forks, the Volturi might find the need to hurt the Cullens or Charlie, and I wouldn't even consider that a possibility. We had to do what was right, even if the right thing to do happened to be the hardest thing.

Finally, Edward decided to break the silence.

"It'll be fine. The whole thing will be over before you know it, and we'll go off to Vegas and make sure we don't meet any vampires that'll eventually come after you," he winked, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"Good idea. I'll miss you. A lot. Please, please, _please_, don't hurt yourself. I feel like I should give you something like they do in movies, when they don't know when they'll see each other again, but I don't have anything," I sighed.

"I already have the most precious thing you could possibly give me. Your heart. And you have mine as well, theoretically speaking, since I don't really have one," he kissed the tip of my nose.

I smiled, knowing it'll be the last time I smile before I'm safe in his arms again.

"What time is your flight?" I wondered, secretly hoping we had at least another couple of hours together.

Edward checked his watch and frowned. Just my luck, it was probably in an hour or so.

"Actually, it's at eleven thirty, and It's ten right now. I should get going," I knew he had just as hard of a time saying those words as I did hearing them.

My gaze fell to the floor and I felt like another rerun of my zombie era was soon to come. No Edward, no Bella's personality.

"Try and be good. I know it's not possible, but stay out of trouble. Tanya and her family are our friends; they'll take good care of you. And one last thing," he whispered as he leaned in closer, "don't do anything stupid."

And with that, he leaned in and gently kissed me. It didn't last very long, but I didn't open my eyes until he was well out of the room and was probably speeding away in his beloved little Volvo.

**End of chapter five! Hope you liked it ******

**PS. At least 5 reviews until next chapter, thanks!**

**-AnaCullen♥.**


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